Rotating disk atomizer with treatment fluid feed arrangement

ABSTRACT

A rotary atomizer is disclosed for the even distribution of a treatment fluid within a treatment chamber. The treatment fluid is delivered onto a rotating disk atomizer through multiple outlet ports. Fluid passages provide each outlet port with an even flow of treatment fluid at generally the same time and rate. This even and simultaneous flow of treatment fluid results in a more even distribution of treatment fluid on the seed that flows through the treatment chamber throughout the treatment cycle.

CROSS-REFERENCES

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/838,247, filed Jun. 22, 2013.

GOVERNMENT RIGHTS

Not Applicable.

REFERENCE TO CDs

Not Applicable.

FIELD

The present invention is in the technical field of treating seeds.

BACKGROUND

Seeds planted for agricultural and other purposes are often treated withan agrichemical such as insecticides, inoculants, micronutrients orother beneficial compositions prior to planting. Treatment mayaccomplish various purposes including inhibiting the growth of insects,bacteria, molds, fungus, and parasites that are destructive to the seedand plant growth. Seed treatments are commonly applied by spraying afluid composition to the surface of seed as the seed falls through atreatment chamber. Direct application of the seed treatment fluid to theseed before planting requires a smaller quantity of seed treatmentcomposition than the traditional field application of treatment fluids.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Seed treatment applicators introduce seed into a treatment chamber. Inthe treatment chamber, airborne droplets of treatment fluid are appliedto the seed surface. Generally, the treatment fluid is atomized with arotating atomizer such as rotating cylinders. The vertical sidewalls ofthe cylinders incorporate a screen or solid wall with multiple aperturesto allow the fluid to escape. These rotating atomizers routinely sufferfrom clogging and uneven distribution of the treatment fluid.

We discovered that the problems of uneven fluid distribution andclogging of the atomizer can be solved by delivering the treatment fluidonto a rotating disk atomizer through a fluid feed arrangement thatdirects the flow of treatment fluid evenly through multiple outletports. The treatment fluid is evenly applied to the rotating atomizer bydirecting the treatment fluid from a single inlet port to each outletport. The fluid passages provide each outlet port with an even flow oftreatment fluid at the same time and rate because the volume of eachfluid passage is approximately equal to the other fluid passages. Thiseven and simultaneous flow of treatment fluid results in a more evendistribution of treatment fluid on the seed that flows through thetreatment chamber over the entire treatment cycle.

Some advantages of the present disclosure include an apparatus whichprovides:

a. A rotating disk that atomizes fluid in an evenly distributed spraywithout a vertical side wall with apertures or screens that can beclogged by sticky, viscous fluids;

b. A rotary atomizer with a fluid feed arrangement for fluidlyconnecting a single inlet port with multiple outlet ports where thefluid passage provide an even flow of treatment fluid to the outletports;

c. A fluid atomizer with multiple outlet ports evenly distributing thefluid around the central axis of the rotating disk to provide evencoverage around the entire perimeter of the disk; and

d. An atomizer that is inexpensive to manufacture and requires minimalmaintenance.

We recognized that in order to prevent wet, sticky, freshly treated seedfrom coming in contact with the motor or shaft, the motor should bemounted above the atomizer disk. In order to mount the motor above thedisk, the motor shaft descends from the motor through an aperture in thecenter of the disk. But the presence of the powered shaft in the centerof the disk prevents the fluid from being dispersed into the center ofthe disk atomizer. Existing seed treatment applicators with top mountedmotors generally disperse the treatment fluid into a rotating cupatomizer with a single inlet tube. However, these existing solutionsresult in uneven fluid distribution and clogging of the apertures in thevertical sidewalls of the rotating cup.

A flat disk atomizer eliminates the clogging potential of the rotatingcup. However, elimination of the sidewalls exacerbates the unevendistribution of fluid. Existing rotating disk atomizers generally applythe fluid to the center of the rotating disk. The fluid begins to flowin a generally outward direction as a substantially thin film disposeduniformly about the disk surface. When the fluid reaches the edge of thedisk, the fluid is sprayed outwardly in small droplets.

We recognized that the asymmetric delivery of fluid onto the flat diskatomizer contributed to the uneven spray pattern. The location of thecentral shaft prevented applying the fluid to the center of the disk andresulted in significant uneven distribution of the fluid. We solved theuneven fluid spray by applying the treatment fluid to the disk atomizerthrough multiple outlet ports that are located above the disk. Theoutlet ports can be generally evenly spaced around the central axis toevenly apply the fluid to the disk. The outlet ports can be positionedsuch that the treatment fluid contacts the central portion of therotating disk.

In order to achieve even distribution of the fluid, we found that it isimportant that the fluid be generally evenly delivered to the topsurface of the atomizer disk so that the fluid contact area hasgenerally even, symmetric coverage. We discovered that distribution wasmost even when three or more outlet ports were generally evenlydistributed about the central, vertical axis. This distribution resultedin treatment fluid application that was generally symmetric and evenlydistributed. For example, the use of four outlet ports separated byapproximately 90 degrees provided a generally even distribution oftreatment fluid.

We discovered that the fluid could be delivered to the outlet portsthrough a fluid feed arrangement. In our primary illustrated example—aswill be discussed—we attached a fluid feed arrangement to the bottom ofthe treatment chamber. Each outlet port is connected to the inlet portby a respective fluid feed arrangement. As illustrated and describedbelow, the fluid passages can be a hollow aperture in an otherwise solidbase plate. We discovered that fluid passages of the same volume causedthe fluid to evenly and consistently feed the respective outlet ports.That allowed for an even application of the treatment fluid to the seed,from the first seed that entered the treatment chamber all the waythrough the treatment cycle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Aspects of this disclosure are illustrated by way of example, and not byway of limitation, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of the atomizer, showing thetreatment chamber, fluid feed arrangement, and the bottom of the disk.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the fluid feed arrangement.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the fluid feed arrangement that—duringoperation—is pressed against the bottom of the treatment chamber.

FIG. 4 is the bottom perspective view of FIG. 1, focusing on the fluidfeed arrangement.

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the atomizer disk.

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the atomizer, showing the motorattachment and the incoming fluid feed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As briefly explained above, the present inventors recognized thatexisting seed treatment atomizers produce uneven fluid distribution andrequire regular maintenance due to clogging of the atomizer and theaccumulation of wet and sticky seed around bottom-mounted motors. Theinventors recognized that these deficiencies could be resolved. FIG. 1depicts the atomizer portion of a treatment applicator. A treatmentchamber 155 is shown with an annular aperture 145 that receives a ring,or annular veil, of untreated seed. The untreated seed descends throughthe annular aperture 145 of the treatment chamber 155. A rotating disk10 is mounted in the center of the treatment chamber 155.

As the seed descends through the treatment chamber 155, the treatmentfluid is applied to the rotating disk 10 to atomize the treatment fluidand create an even, outward spray of treatment fluid against the innersurface of the ring of seed. The treatment fluid is applied to the disk10 from more than one outlet ports 80 that are positioned in a fluidfeed arrangement 110 that is mounted above the disk.

The treatment applicator is designed to apply treatment fluid to all ofthe untreated seed that enters the treatment chamber. Treatment fluid isintroduced into the treatment applicator through an inlet port 130 thatis depicted in the top view of the treatment chamber 155 in FIG. 6. Thefluid flows into the inlet port 130 and then into the fluid feedarrangement 110.

The fluid feed arrangement 110 is depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3. The fluidfeed arrangement 110 receives the treatment fluid from the inlet port130 and directs the flow of treatment fluid to a plurality of outletports 80. The outlet ports are shown in the bottom of the fluid feedarrangement 110 as depicted in FIG. 2. The bottom of the fluid feedarrangement 110 is positioned directly above the rotating disk 10. Thetreatment fluid is expelled through a plurality of outlet ports 80 ontothe top surface of the rotating disk 10. The outlet ports 80 areannularly positioned around the central vertical axis 40 to provide agenerally symmetric flow of the treatment fluid to a top surface of thedisk 10.

The top of the fluid feed arrangement 110 is depicted in FIG. 3 andshows one embodiment of a plurality of fluid passages 160 for connectingthe inlet port 130 with the plurality of outlet ports 80. A plurality offluid passages 160 connect the inlet port 130 with each of the outletports 80. The fluid passages 160 are depicted in FIG. 3. The size,length, shape, and volume of the fluid passages 160 between the inletport 130 and each respective outlet port 80 is generally the same. Thisdesign delivers a generally equal volume of fluid that begins to flowgenerally simultaneously through each outlet port 80 from the singleinlet port 130. The generally symmetric placement of the outlet ports 80and the generally equal fluid flow delivers a generally even amount offluid for atomization by the rotating disk 10. The fluid feedarrangement 110 applies treatment fluid to the disk 10 generallysymmetrically relative to the central vertical axis, which is indicatedby line 40.

In order to disperse the treatment fluid symmetrically, the treatmentfluid is dispersed from plurality of outlet ports 80 onto the disk 10.The fluid feed arrangement 110 is illustrated with four outlet ports 80.The outlet ports 80 are evenly spaced about the central axis of the disk10. The outlet ports 80 are positioned above the central portion of thedisk. The position of the outlet ports defines a plurality of fluidcontact areas 100 on the top surface 20. The top surface 20 is the fluiddispensing surface of the disk 10.

When applying treatment fluid to the untreated seed, it is importantthat treatment fluid is applied evenly to all of the untreated seed thatenters the treatment chamber. The untreated seed is generally placedinto a hopper located above the treatment chamber 155. A treatment cyclebegins when the first amount of untreated seed enters the treatmentchamber concurrently with the first amount of treatment fluid is sprayedinto the path of the seed. It is preferred that an even spray oftreatment fluid is consistently delivered within the treatment chamber155 during the entire treatment cycle. The treatment cycle ends when thelast untreated seed falls through the treatment chamber 155. The fluidpassages 160 provide a consistent flow of treatment fluid to all of theoutlet ports 80, such that the treatment fluid can be evenly sprayedover the entire treatment cycle.

The fluid feed arrangement 110 delivers the treatment fluid to theoutlet ports 80. The fluid descends from the outlet ports 80 onto thedisk 10. The fluid contact areas 100 are illustrated as evenly spacedaround a circumference about the central axis that has a radius of lessthan half of the radius of the disk atomizer. It is important that thefluid contact area 100 is nearer the central vertical axis 40 of thedisk 10 than the outer periphery 50 of the disk. Distributing the fluidnearer the central vertical axis 40 of the disk 10 allows the rotationof the disk to impart a sufficient outward velocity onto the fluid tocause the fluid to be outwardly atomized toward the annular veil of seed(not shown). The central distribution of the fluid contact area 100facilitates the outward moment to the treatment fluid. The outlet ports80 can be annularly disposed such that the radius of the outlet portposition from the central vertical axis is less than half of the totalradius of the disk 10.

It is preferred that each fluid contact area 100 is not separated froman adjacent fluid contact area 100 by more than 120 degrees. Theseregular intervals result in substantially thin film of treatment fluidthat is disposed uniformly about the top surface 20 of the disk 10. Whenthe fluid reaches the outer periphery 50 of the disk, the fluid issprayed outwardly in small droplets toward the annular veil of untreatedseed.

FIGS. 4 and 5 depict the orientation and relation between the fluid feedarrangement 110 and the disk 10. In the illustrated example, the motor150 is positioned above the rotating disk 10 to prevent the motor orshaft from interfering with the flow path of the wet, sticky seed. Therotating disk 10 is turned with a powered shaft 70 that enters thecentral disk aperture 60 from above.

FIG. 5 depicts another advantage of the current disclosure over existingseed treatment atomizers. The disk 10 depicted is a generally flat diskthat eliminates the clogging potential of the rotating cup, howeverelimination of the sidewalls exacerbates any asymmetric distribution offluid, therefore it is important to utilize an even fluid application,as described above. The disk 10 depicted in FIG. 5 has a central areathickness that is less than the thickness at the outer periphery 50.This provides a slope between the center periphery 55 and the outerperiphery 50. However, the advantages of this disclosure would alsobenefit a variety of disk shapes, including: flat disks, disks withradial or circumferential grooves, disks with vertical sidewalls,cone-shaped disks, and other rotating disk atomizer configurations thatare compatible with a top driven powered shaft.

FIG. 6 depicts a motor 150 attachment to the treatment chamber 155 and apath for the inlet tube 120 to enter the treatment chamber 155. The topdriven motor location prevents the motor from interfering with the pathof the wet, freshly treated seed. Here, the motor 150 is mounted to thetreatment chamber 155 with a series of motor fasteners 156. The mixingmanifold and inlet tube 120 facilitate the flow of treatment fluid fromone or more external source treatment fluid sources. The fluid flowsthrough the inlet port, which is fluidly connected to the fluid passage160 and ultimately through the outlet ports onto the rotating disk 10.

Referring again to FIG. 4, the fluid feed arrangement 110 can also bemounted on the treatment chamber 155 with a seal in the seal channel 210to provide a fluid passage 160 that is fluid-tight. The fluid feedarrangement 110 can be attached to the treatment chamber with fastenersthat pass through the appropriate fastener passages 230 in the fluidfeed arrangement. These fasteners can be received into the treatmentchamber 155 to securely mount the fluid feed arrangement 110. The fluidfeed arrangement 110 can also include a series of access ports 157 toprovide access to the motor fasteners 156, which would otherwise beobscured by mounting the fluid feed arrangement at the base of thetreatment chamber 155.

The powered shaft 70 is illustrated as being driven by a motor 150 fromabove with the powered shaft extending downward. The powered shaft 70could also be powered by appropriately powered pulley, gear drivenshaft, or other appropriate means of rotating the disk 10.

Referring again to FIG. 4, the disk 10 is secured to the powered shaft70 such that when the powered shaft 70 rotates then the disk 10 alsorotates. The lower end of the powered shaft extends through a centraldisk aperture 60. The disk may have a lower extension that is threadedto receive a fastening bolt. The fastening bolt can be threadablyreceived into the lower extension until the fastening bolt passesthrough a wall of the extension and exerts an appropriate pressure onthe powered shaft 70 to securely mount the disk 10 to the powered shaft70.

The fluid passage 160 is depicted in FIG. 3 as a hollow channel in asolid fluid feed arrangement 110 that is mounted against the bottom ofthe treatment chamber 155 with a seal that provides a fluid-tight fluidpassage. The fluid passage 160 can also be any means of transferring aneven flow of fluid to the plurality of outlet ports 80. For example, thefluid passage 160 may be any manner of plastic or metal tubing thatdelivers treatment fluid to the outlet ports 80.

Referring again to FIG. 3, the fluid passage 160 is shown as a channelcut into a solid block of material, such as plastic. A seal (not shown)can be placed into the seal channel 210 to allow the fluid passage 160retain the fluid when the fluid feed arrangement 110 is mounted to thebottom of the treatment chamber 155. Therefore the passageway is definedby the channel cut into the solid block of material that is fluidlysealed to the bottom of the treatment chamber. The seal can be of anymaterial that provides a fluid-tight contact between the treatmentchamber 155 and the fluid feed arrangement 110. The seal can be made ofrubber, plastic, or other suitable material.

It should be understood that the fluid passage 160 could also be formedwith a passageway that is completely enclosed within the fluid feedarrangement. It is also possible that the fluid passage could be formedwith tubes, pipes, passages, or channels and with any combination oftubes, pipes, passages, or channels that would provide generallysimultaneous and equal flow rates to each of the outlet ports.

A control system (not shown), such as a computer, can be operablyconnected to various elements of this system. The control system mayselectively control the flow of fluids by regulating a treatment fluidregulator. The treatment fluid regulator may control the flow of fluidfrom one or more fluid pumps that feed the mixing manifold. Thetreatment fluid regulator may be a fluid pump, such as a peristalticpump. The control system may also receive signals from a treatment fluidmeter that indicate flow rate of the fluid into the input port. Thetreatment fluid meter may be a loss-in-weight flow meter, a volumetricflow meter, or another meter capable of accurately determining liquidflow rate.

The control system may also selectively control the flow of seed intothe treatment chamber. The flow rate of the seed may be controlled usinga seed flow regulator. The seed flow regulator may be a variable seedgate or a volumetric seed wheel. The control system may also receivesignals from a seed flow meter that indicate the flow rate of theuntreated seed into the treatment chamber. The seed flow meter may be aloss-in-weight scaling system, a volumetric seed wheel, or another metercapable of accurately determining seed flow rate.

The control system may also selectively control the speed and rotationaldirection of the rotating disk through a motor controller.

A compressed air source (not shown) may also be fluidly connected to thefluid passages 160. A valve can regulate the flow of compressed airbetween the compressed air source and the fluid passages 160. The valvecan be controlled by the control system to selectively allow thecompressed air to enter the fluid passages. Introduction of thecompressed air at the end of a treatment cycle will force any residualtreatment fluid out of the fluid passages, through the outlet ports.This will prevent any residual treatment fluid from remaining in thefluid passages and contaminating subsequent treatment cycles. Thispurging cycle will also prevent residual treatment fluid from dryinginside of the fluid passages and blocking the flow of treatment fluid.It should be understood that the compressed air source could be replacedby another compressed gas or liquid and accomplish a purge of the fluidpassages.

In one example, the fluid is fed into the inlet port from an inlet tubeconnected to a mixing manifold. The mixing manifold 170 can delivertreatment fluid to an inlet tube 120 that is connected to the inlet port130 of the fluid feed arrangement 110. The mixing manifold 170 allowsmultiple fluids to be delivered to the single inlet port. When treatmentfluid is delivered to the atomizer, the treatment fluid flows through amixing manifold, into the inlet tube, then to the inlet port, throughthe respective fluid passages, and then drains out the outlet ports andonto the rotating atomizer disk to be atomized and applied to the seed.

Treatment fluid is delivered to the mixing manifold 170 by a fluidconnection to a treatment source, such as one or more treatment tanks.In one embodiment, the fluid from the treatment tanks will be pumpedusing a fluid pump such as peristaltic pumps, which draw treatment fluidfrom the tanks and deliver pressurized treatment fluid to the mixingmanifold 170 and subsequently the inlet port 130. The treatment tanksand fluid pumps required to deliver pressurized treatment fluid areknown in the art.

In the Summary above, the Detailed Description, and in the accompanyingdrawings, reference is made to particular features including methodsteps of the invention. The reader should understand that the disclosureof the invention in this specification includes all possiblecombinations of such particular features. For example, where aparticular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect orembodiment of the invention, or a particular claim, that feature canalso be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in thecontext of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention,and in the invention generally. It is understood that the invention isnot confined to the particular construction and arrangement of partsherein described. That although the drawings and specification set fortha preferred embodiment, and although specific terms are employed, theyare used in a description sense only and embody all such forms as comewithin the scope of the following claims.

The term “comprises” and its grammatical equivalents are used in thisdocument to mean that other components, steps, etc. are optionallypresent. For example, an article “comprising” or “which comprises”components A, B, and C can consist of components A, B, and C, or cancontain not only components A, B, and C but also one or more othercomponents.

1. (canceled)
 2. (canceled)
 3. (canceled)
 4. (canceled)
 5. (canceled) 6.(canceled)
 7. (canceled)
 8. (canceled)
 9. A method of evenly applying atreatment fluid to a flow of seed within a treatment chamber, the methodcomprising: a. Providing the treatment chamber of claim 13; b. rotatingthe rotating disk within the treatment chamber; c. supplying the fluidfeed arrangement with a pressurized flow of a treatment fluid; d.supplying the treatment chamber with a flow of seed; e. ; f. dispensingthe fluid from each outlet port to a top surface of the rotating disk;and g. atomizing the fluid into the flow of seed to evenly apply thetreatment fluid to the flow of seed.
 10. (canceled)
 11. The method ofclaim 9, further comprising the step of: a. delivering a metered rate ofpressurized fluid that corresponds with a metered quantity of seedentering the treatment chamber.
 12. The method of claim 11, furthercomprising the step of purging the fluid from the fluid passage byintroducing a pressurized gas into the fluid feed arrangement throughthe inlet port.
 13. A treatment chamber for applying treatment fluid tountreated seed comprising: b. a rotating disk mounted within thetreatment chamber; c. a fluid feed arrangement mounted within thetreatment chamber and disposed above the rotating disk comprising: i. aninlet port for receiving the treatment fluid; ii. a plurality of outletports; iii. a plurality of fluid passages fluidly connecting the inletport with a respective outlet ports d. a seal disposed between the fluidfeed arrangement and the treatment chamber.
 14. (canceled) 15.(canceled)
 16. (canceled)
 17. The treatment chamber of claim 13, whereinthe plurality of outlet ports are radially symmetrically distributedabout a central axis the fluid feed arrangement.
 18. The treatmentchamber of claim 17, wherein the plurality of outlet ports have a radialdistance from a center of the fluid feed arrangement that is less thanone-half of a radius of the rotating disk.
 19. The treatment chamber ofclaim 13, further comprising: a. a powered shaft connected to therotating disk from above; b. wherein the fluid feed arrangement furthercomprises: i. a central disk aperture disposed above a center of therotating disk; c. wherein the powered shaft extends through the centraldisk aperture.
 20. The treatment chamber of claim 13, wherein: a. theplurality of fluid passages are channels in a surface of the fluid feedarrangement; and b. the plurality of fluid passages cooperate with theseal and a portion of the treatment chamber to provide a fluid-tightpassage for a pressurized fluid.
 21. A treatment chamber for evenlyapplying a treatment fluid to a flow of seed in a seed treatment system,the treatment chamber comprising: a. A fluid feed arrangement mountedwithin the treatment chamber, the fluid feed arrangement comprising: i.A discharge aperture; ii. A fluid passageway configured to receive apressurized fluid and direct the pressurized fluid to the dischargeaperture; iii. A seal channel disposed on a top surface of the fluidfeed arrangement for receiving a seal.
 22. The treatment chamber ofclaim 21, wherein the fluid feed arrangement further comprises: a. aplurality of discharge apertures; and b. wherein the fluid passageway isconfigured to direct the pressurized fluid to each respective dischargeaperture.
 23. The treatment chamber of claim 22, wherein the sealchannel is disposed along an outer perimeter of the fluid passageway.24. The treatment chamber of claim 23, wherein: a. the plurality offluid passages are channels in a surface of the fluid feed arrangement;and b. the plurality of fluid passages cooperate with the seal and aportion of the treatment chamber to provide a fluid-tight passage for apressurized fluid.
 25. The treatment chamber of claim 21, furthercomprising: a. a rotating disk; b. a powered shaft connected to therotating disk from above; c. wherein the fluid feed arrangement furthercomprises: i. an aperture disposed above a center of the rotating disk;d. wherein the powered shaft extends through the central disk aperture.26. A method of evenly applying a treatment fluid to a flow of seedwithin a treatment chamber, the method comprising: a. Providing thetreatment chamber of claim 21; b. supplying the fluid feed arrangementwith a pressurized flow of a treatment fluid; c. supplying the treatmentchamber with a flow of seed; and d. atomizing the fluid into the flow ofseed to evenly apply the treatment fluid to the flow of seed.